Computing devices have become a ubiquitous part of everyday life. For example, millions of people carry and use mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) throughout their daily activities. Unfortunately, such computing devices (especially relatively small, mobile computing devices) may be easily stolen by thieves. As a result, individuals and organizations have begun to use various anti-theft solutions to attempt to locate and recover their stolen computing devices.
Conventional solutions for locating stolen computing devices typically rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) or similar technologies to determine the geographic location of the stolen computing devices. However, geographic locations may not always enable stolen computing devices to be located. For example, it may be difficult to locate a stolen computing device if the geographic location of the computing device points to an apartment building housing hundreds of people or to a large public location. Moreover in the event that a stolen computing device is located, a geographic location may not be sufficient to incriminate the person who stole it. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies a need for additional and improved systems and methods for locating stolen computing devices and/or identifying thieves.